Apparatus for separating articles of different specific gravities



Jan. 16, 1968 r; SEYMOUR 3,363,757

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES Filed Nov. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ",TL-Illl Jan. 16, 1968 SEYMOUR 3,363,757

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES Filed Nov. 5, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet B United States Patent C) 3,363,757 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATIIIG ARTICLES OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES Melvin E. Seymour, Creston, Iowa, assignor to Vanmark Corporation, a corporation of Iowa Filed Nov. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 506,179 8 Claims. (Cl. 209153) This invention relates generally to a device for separating articles of different specific gravities and in particular to a device for separating stones, pieces of wire and the like from potatoes or other produce. The invention is directed generally to the problem of removing inedible and machine damaging materials from raw produce in a fast and economical manner.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a machine for separating potatoes without damage thereto from heavier than water material such as stones and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide a separating apparatus using a circulating fluid flow to separate and convey produce material from refuse material having a specific gravity greater than the specific gravity of the produce material.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for separating potatoes from stones and the like wherein a fluid containing tank equipped with an upright rotary conveyer utilizes the conveyer to produce a circulatory fluid flow within the tank to direct the potatoes into the conveyor for removal from the apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a potatorefuse separating apparatus that is simple to operate, inexpensive to manufacture, compact in structure and efficient in operation.

The means by which the foregoing objects and other advantages are accomplished are set forth in the following specification when taken in connection with the ac companying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of a produce supply hopper in assembly relation with the separating apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the separating apparatus taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the separating apparatus taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; 7

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the separating apparatus taken along line 44 in FIG. 2 illustrating the path taken by the potatoes in their separation from refuse material;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the lower portion of an auger assembly which forms part of the separating apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged foreshortened detail perspective view of the lower portion of the auger shown generally in the auger assembly of FIGS. 5 and 7; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawing the separating apparatus 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in assembly relation with a potato hopper 11 having a bottom conveyor 12 for delivering field gathered potatoes into a water filled receiving tank 13 of the separating apparatus 10. The potatoes in the tank 13 are directed into an upright auger assembly 14 and carried upwardly therein for discharge from a chute 16 into a storage bin, potato washing equipment or the like.

The potato receiving tank 13 is of a generally triangular shape in plan view and has a front wall 17 and side walls 18 arranged in upright planes. Each side wall 18 includes a front section 19 of a generally square shape extended rearwardly from and in a plane perpendicular to the front wall 17. The remaining section 20 of each side wall 13 is inclined inwardly and rearwardly and has a top horizontal edge and a lower edge 21 inclined downwardly and rearwardly. A fiat bottom wall 22 (FIGS. 2 and 3) extends downwardly and rearwardly from the lower edge of the front wall 17 and has the side edges 23 thereof, as best shown in FIG. 2, converging in a rearward direction. A side panel 24 extends between and is connected to a side edge 23 of the bottom wall 22 and to the lower edge 21 of a side wall 18.

A refuse collecting trough 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of a circular contour is extended transversely of the bottom wall 22 in a dependent relation with the lower edge 27 of the bottom wall. The trough 26 (FIG. 9) is formed from a length of pipe 28 by removing therefrom a section that is located in the tank 13, with the opposite ends 29 and 31 of the pipe being extended laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the tank 13.

The trough 26 (FIGS. 3 and 4) faces upwardly and has its forward side secured as by welding to the lower edge 27 of the bottom wall 22. The rear side 32 of the trough 26 is secured as by welding to a horizontally extended rear bottom wall section 33. It is seen therefore that the section 33 forms a horizontal rear extension of the bottom wall 22, with the collecting trough 26 arranged to receive directly any material that moves downwardly along the bottom wall 22.

A housing or casing 35 (FIGS. 3 and 4) of the upright auger assembly 14 is secured as by welding to the bottom wall extension 33 and to the rear edges of the side walls 18 and connecting panels 24 so as to form the rear wall of the tank 13.

The tank 13 and auger assembly 14 are carried on a frame 36 having a pair of front legs 37 which are connected to the lower end of the bottom wall 22 by a brace structure indicated generally at 39. The auger assembly 14 is supported directly on a pair of stub legs 41. The front legs 37 and rear stub legs 41 are provided with adjustable lower extensions 38 and 42, respectively, for tank leveling purposes.

It is seen, therefor, that the tank 13 from its front wall 17 has its bottom wall 22, side walls 18 and connecting panels 24 arranged to direct material downwardly and rearwardly of the tank and toward the lower end of the auger assembly 14.

Each front section 19 (FIGS. 1 and 3) of a side wall 18 has a lower cut out portion to form an opening 43 which constitutes an overflow outlet for the tank 13. Secured to tank 13 and extended outwardly from an opening 43 is an overflow pan 44 having a bottom drain pipe 46. A screen 47 extended across an opening 43 prevents the material in the tank 13 from passing through an opening 43 and into a drain pipe 46.

The upper central portion of the front wall 17 (FIG. 1) is cut away at 48 to form a tank inlet for potatoes or the like discharged from the hopper conveyor 12. A deflector plate 49 (FIGS. 1 and 4) arranged in a covering relation with the potato inlet 48 is pivotally supported at 51 between a pair of upright plate members 52 that are secured to the front wall 17. The deflector plate 49 is of a vertical length greater than the height of the inlet 48 and extends within the tank 13 for pivotal movement toward and away from the rear side of the front wall 17.

The auger assembly 14 (FIGS. 3 and 4) includes the cylindrical housing or casing 35 which has a bottom cover or base plate 54 secured as by welding to the bottom wall extension 33. The tank 13 therefore has a composite bottom unit formed by the downwardly and rearwardly inclined wall 22, the trough 26, the horizontally extended 3 extension 33 and easing bottom plate 54. An auger 55 within the casing includes a shaft 56 provided with an auger flight 57.

The shaft 56 extends the full length of the casing 35 and has its upper end 58 (FIG. 1) projected upwardly from a top cover member 59 for the auger casing 35. A hearing unit 61 mounted on the top cover member 59 is operatively associated with the upper end of the shaft 56 to support the auger 55 for rotatable movement within the casing. An electric motor 62 mounted on the casing 35 is connected in a driving relation with the upper end 58 of the shaft 56 through a pulley and belt assembly 63 which is covered by a guard or shield member 64.

The lower end 66 of the auger shaft 56 (FIGS. 3 and 7) is guidably supported in a water lubricated bearing 67 extended through and secured to the casing bottom plate 54. Water is directed upwardly through the bearing 67 and into the tank 13 from a water line 68 having a control valve 69.

The lower end section 71 (FIG. 4) of the auger flight 57 terminates at a spaced position above the horizontal bottom wall portions 33 and 54 a distance substantially equal to the height of the water level, indicated at 69, in the tank 13. As clearly appears in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 the lower end section 71 of the auger flight 57 terminates in a horizontal portion 72 extended radially from the auger shaft 56 to form a flat blade member the side edges 73 (FIG. 6) of which diverge in a direction away from the auger shaft 56. The auger casing 35 (FIGS. 3 and 4) over the portion thereof within the tank 13 and located between the top of the tank and the liquid level 60 therein is formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extended water discharge outlets 75.

As shown in FIGS. and 6 the lower end portion of the auger casing 35 located within the tank 13 and below the auger flight 57 is cut away to form an inlet opening 74 and to receive a water deflecting or directing shield unit 76. The shield unit 76 is of an involute shape in transverse section and extends circumferentially of the casing 35 a distance equal substantially to the circumferential length of the inlet section 74.

The involute shield unit 76 projects laterally from the casing 35 and has its upper end closed by a cover member 77 which is secured over the full length of its inner edge to the auger casing. The lower end of the shield unit 76 is adjacent to the base or cover plate 54 of the auger casing 35. The involute contour of the shield member 76 spirals outwardly from the casing 35 in a direction corresponding to the directional rotation of the auger 55 as indicated by the arrow 78 in FIGS. 5 and 6.

Within the auger casing 35 and opposite the inlet section 74 and water deflecting shield unit 76 is a potato deflecting plate '79 of a generally semi-elliptical shape. The plate member is inclined upwardly and rearwardly from its straight side 81 which is located adjacent the water lubricated bearing 67. The size of the plate member 79 is such that the curved edge thereof is in continuous contact with the inner peripheral surface of the auger casing 35.

On rotation of the auger 55 a rotational or whirlpool action is produced on the water within the casing 35 by the action of both the auger flight 57 and auger shaft 56, and with this whirlpool action being directed upwardly by the auger flight. This whirling action is extended within the deflecting shield unit 76 which, by virtue of its involute contour breaks the circular rotary motion of the whirlpool flow to direct such flow inwardly across the inlet section 74. This inward directing of the rotational motion of the water within the lower portion of the auger assembly 14 effects a drawing or pulling action on the water to the outside of the inlet section in a direction inwardly of the casing 35 for a purpose to appear later.

The water carried upwardly by the lower section 71 of the auger flight 57 is discharged through the outlets 75 back into the tank 13. As clearly appears in FIGS. 3 and 4 a deflecting plate 82 secured to the auger casing 35 at a position above the outlets is inclined in a downward and forward direction so as to direct the discharge water downwardly toward the inlet section 74. The path of water flow in the tank 13 is thus continuous through the inlet section '74, upwardly through the auger casing 35, outwardly from the discharge ports 75 and then downwardly of the tank back to the inlet section 74.

In the operation of the separating apparatus 10 assume the tank to be filled with water to the level indicated at 60, with the auger 55 in operation and the valve 69 opened to admit water into the tank 13 from within the bearing 67. The level is maintained by the drainage of any excess water from the tank 13 through the drains 46.

The field picked potatoes, indicated at 83 in FIG. 4, are discharged from the hopper conveyer 12 into the potato receiving inlet 48 and against the deflector plate 49. The potatoes 83 and any refuse material intermixed therewith pivotally move the deflector plate 4? rearwardly away from the front wall 17, with the plate 49 acting to direct the received material in a direction downwardly along the tank bottom wall 22. The refuse material, indicated at 85, and having a specific gravity heavier than the produce moves downwardly along the wall 22 for collection into the trough 26.

In this respect it is to be noted that potatoes have a specific gravity of about 1.05 to 1.1, while the specific gravity of the refuse material such as stones may be of 2.1 or higher. The produce, therefore, may be heavier than water without impairing the separating action of the apparatus as effected by the current flow of the water in the tank 13 and casing 35.

As a result the potatoes 83, on entering the tank 13 from the receiving inlet 48 are initially submerged and follow generally along the bottom wall 22 toward the inlet section 74. On approaching the inlet section 74 the potatoes are picked up by the circulatory flow of water within the tank and moved into the inlet section 74. Once inside the auger casing 35 the rise of the potatoes to the surface of the liquid level 60 is accelerated by their striking against the deflector plate 79 so as to bring the potatoes within the path of the upward whirlpool action effected by the auger flight 57.

As the potatoes reach the level of the blade member 72 they are scooped up thereby for delivery into the auger flight 57 which carries the potatoes upwardly in the auger casing 35 for discharge from the chute 16. This scooping action on the potatoes is obtained by virtue of the blade functioning to cut the water below the potato to provide for a continuous flow of the water upwardly onto the conveyer flight 57. Without the blade member 72 the contour of the auger flight 57, at its lower terminal end, initially effects a backwash action which would impede a smooth admission of the potatoes onto the auger flight. This backwash action is eliminated by the cutting action of the blade 72.

By virtue of the water discharged through the outlets 75 being directed downwardly by the deflecting plate 82 any potatoes tending to accumulate about the auger casing 35 and on the surface of the water Within the tank 13 are continuously urged downwardly into the current action effected by the shield unit 76 and rotational movement of the auger 55.

The end 29 of the pipe 28 is fitted with a cap member 86 having secured thereto an axially extending rod member 87 of a length greater than the lower transverse dimension of the tank 13 so that its terminal end 88 is adjacent to a valve member 89 carried in the pipe end 31. The valve 89 is a drain valve for the tank 13, with the pipe end 31 being suitably connected to a drain pipe 91. The terminal end 88 carries a screen member 92 of a size substantially coextensive with the cross sectional area of the pipe end 31. Thus on opening of the drain valve 89, to drain the tank 13, refuse material is prevented from entering the drain pipe 91.

With the tank 13 drained the cap member 85 is turned loose from the pipe end 29 and on movement thereof axially relative to the pipe member 28 and away from the tank 13, the screen 92 functions as a cleaning plate to remove the collected refuse material from the trough 26 for discharge from the pipe end 29. On replacement of the cap member 86, and with the drain valve 90 open, the tank 13 and auger assembly 14 may be flushed clean.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes can be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for separating a produce material from a refuse material having a specific gravity greater than that of the produce material comprising:

(a) fluid container means having a tank with a rearwardly and downwardly inclined bottom wall, and rearwardly and inwardly converged side walls,

(b) an upwardly extended conveyer housing at the lower end of said bottom wall,

(0) said conveyer housing having an upper discharge chute and a lower inlet section open to said tank,

((1) conveyer means rotatably mounted Within said conveyer housing,

(e) means operably associated with said container means to maintain a predetermined fluid level above said inlet section,

(f) means for rotating said conveyer means to provide a rotary fluid flow upwardly in said conveyer housing,

(g) fluid outlet means in said conveyer housing lo cated above said fluid level for discharging fluid carried upwardly by said conveyer means into said tank,

(h) means at the upper forward end of said tank for receiving the produce material and refuse material, and

(i) means on said conveyer housing coacting with with said conveyer means to effect an inward flow of the fluid from said tank into said inlet section whereby the produce material within said tank is moved downwardly along the bottom wall of said tank and into said inlet section for movement into said conveyer means for delivery through said discharge chute.

2. A separating apparatus as defined in claim 1, in

which:

(a) said conveyer means includes an upright auger flight having a lower end section positioned above said inlet section and below said fluid outlet means,

(b) said lower end section having a flat horizontal lead portion whereby the produce material carried within the conveyer housing by said rotary fluid flow is directed into said auger flight for upward conveyance thereby.

3. A separating apparatus as defined in claim 1, in

which:

(a) said coacting means includes a directing shield of involute shape in transverse cross section projected laterally of said conveyer housing whereby said rotary fluid flow within the conveyer housing is directed inwardly by said shield across said inlet section.

4. A separating apparatus as defined in claim 1, in-

cluding:

(a) a forwardly and downwardly inclined deflector shield secured to the lower end of said conveyer housing opposite said inlet section whereby the produce material after entering said inlet section is di rected upwardly by said deflector shield into said conveyer means.

5. A separating apparatus as defined in claim 1, includmg:

(a) trough means integral with the lowermost end of 'said bottom wall and positioned adjacent said conveyer housing whereby the refuse material which moves downwardly along the bottom wall of said tank collects in said trough means.

6. An apparatus for separating a produce material from a refuse material having a specific gravity greater than that of the produce material comprising:

(a) fluid container means including a tank and an upwardly extended conveyer housing at one end of the tank,

(b) a rotary conveyer means rotatably mounted within said conveyer housing,

(c) said conveyer housing having an upper discharge chute and a lower inlet section open to said tank,

((1) means to maintain the level of a fluid within said container means above the lower end of said conveyer means,

(e) fluid outlet means in said conveyer housing positioned above said fluid level for discharging fluid carried upwardly by said rotary conveyer means into said tank,

(f) means at the opposite end of said tank for receiving the produce material and refuse material, (g) means integral with said tank for directing the produce material and refuse material from said receiving means toward the inlet section of said conveyer housing,

(h) means on said container means located forwardly of said inlet section for collecting the refuse material,

(i) means on said conveyer housing coacting with said rotary conveyer means to elfect an inward rotational flow of the fluid within said conveyer housing and across said inlet section, whereby the produce material at said inlet section is carried by the fluid flow into said conveyer housing, and

(j) deflector means on said conveyer housing located rearwardly of said inlet section whereby the produce material after entering said inlet section is directed upwardly by said deflector means into said rotary conveyer means.

7. A separating apparatus as defined in claim 6, in

which:

(a) said conveyer means includes an upright auger flight having a lower end section,

(b) said end section having a flat horizontal lead portion whereby the produce material carried upwardly within said conveyer housing by said rotational fluid flow is directed by said lead portion into said auger flight for upward conveyance thereby.

8. A separating apparatus as defined in claim 6, in

which:

(a) said coacting means includes an arcuate shield extended circumferentially and laterally of said conveyer housing whereby the rotational fluid flow is directed inwardly across said inlet section.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 286,791 10/1883 Dean 209159 698,293 4/ 1902 Kimball 209--159 X 2,533,074 12/1950 Weinig 209-159 2,698,087 12/1954 Call et a1. 209-173 X HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner.

TIM R. MILES, Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING A PRODUCE MATERIAL FROM A REFUSE MATERIAL HAVING A SPECIFIC GRAVITY GREATER THAN THAT OF THE PRODUCE MATERIAL COMPRISING: (A) FLUID CONTAINER MEANS HAVING A TANK WITH A REARWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED BOTTOM WALL, AND REARWARDLY AND INWARDLY CONVERGED SIDE WALLS, (B) AN UPWARDLY EXTENDED CONVEYER HOUSING AT THE LOWER END OF SAID BOTTOM WALL, (C) SAID CONVEYER HOUSING HAVING AN UPPER DISCHARGE CHUTE AND A LOWER INLET SECTION OPEN TO SAID TANK, (D) CONVEYER MEANS ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CONVEYER HOUSING, (E) MEANS OPERABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CONTAINER MEANS TO MAINTAIN A PREDETERMINED FLUID LEVEL ABOVE SAID INLET SECTION, (F) MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID CONVEYOR MEANS TO PROVIDE A ROTARY FLUID FLOW UPWARDLY IN SAID CONVEYER HOUSING, (G) FLUID OUTLET MEANS IN SAID CONVEYER HOUSING LOCATED ABOVE SAID FLUID LEVEL FOR DISCHARGING FLUID CARRIED UPWARDLY BY SAID CONVEYER MEANS INTO SAID TANK, (H) MEANS AT THE UPPER FORWARD END OF SAID TANK FOR RECEIVING THE PRODUCE MATERIAL AND REFUSE MATERIAL, AND 